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We have a Independence Day tradition in our family- Whenever we get together for a family or reunion or party around Independence Day we play the “Silver Dollar” game. The Silver Dollar game is a game my Mom invented to encourage us to remember our American history and important United States facts.

Mom would ask a US history question and the first one to get the answer right would get a sliver dollar. Mom has a fun way off tossing the silver dollar to the winner- I’m not sure how to describe, it but basically she just tosses it to the family member that has the correct answer to the question.

Plan to play the Silver Dollar game at your Independence Day family reunion or party. Don’t have Silver Dollars? How about using 50 states quarters, red, white and blue taffy, or patriotic pencils?

Warning: If your family is competitive, like mine is, you may have to assign someone to be the judge and determine who is the first to raise their hand and watch out- even if you do get the answer right someone may just reach out and snatch your prize right out of the air, Oh well, it’s just part of the game and family fun!

Below are a list of questions you can use for your Silver Dollar game:

Getting To Know You Ice Breaker Game for Your Family Reunion

Family Reunion Bingo

A fun, traditional ice breaker game for your family reunion is the “Find Someone Who…” game. The printable game card is set up similar to a BINGO card but our family prefers to just play the game using the entire card.

Give everyone at your reunion a copy of the game card and a pen or pencil. (Different colored pencils or markers make for a colorful card when the card is filled up.

Getting Signatures

Instruct your family to have reunion goers sign the squares that apply to them. You can make up rules that best fit your family reunion- you may only sign one time on a card or two times on a card etc.

Awarding Prizes

You may give prizes to those that complete a row across, down or diagonal such as in family reunion BINGO, but I like to award prizes to those that get every square signed. ‘’Smarties” candies are great prizes for those that only get a BINGO but consider giving

Kudos bars – Kudos to you Bar None - You are the best Milky Way or Mars bars – You’re Out of This World M&Ms – Magnificent & Marvelous Award

or an award that goes along with your family reunion theme.

Family Reunion Bingo

Copy, paste and print on card stock this family reunion Bingo card for lots of ice breaker fun at your next family reunion. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll learn about your family.

A game for getting to know your ancestors!

I’m always looking for fun ways to help family members learn about and make a connection with their ancestors. We’ve played “Wheel of Ancestors” and “Ancestor Jeopardy” with large groups of our family members and I think most of our family are pretty familiar with many of our family “stories”.

Recently I decided to create a game for smaller groups. This game is a fun way to really learn interesting facts about your ancestors and to test the knowledge of those playing the game. I call it the “Black Sheep Game”.

Black Sheep Game Instructions

How well do “Ewe” know your ancestors?

Print, cut and laminate several copies of the “Black Sheep” cards. You can make as many copies as you want. You can also glue a colored paper to the back of the game cards before laminating to make it more difficult to tell which cards have the “black sheep” on them.

Write ancestors or family names on each sheep card using the lines one each card. It is fun to also include family members that are well known such as Grandpa and Grandma, aunts and uncles etc. If available, you may even want to put a small picture of the ancestor on the card.

To Play:

· Turn the cards upside down in the center of the table.

· Draw a card

White Sheep Card

· If there is a white sheep on the card read the name and tell something you know about that ancestor. If you are correct you may keep the sheep card.

Shepherd Card

· If a “shepherd” card is drawn you can “take a white sheep” card from any of the players but you must read the name on the card and say something you know about them.

Black Sheep Cards

If a “black sheep” card is drawn you lose all of your cards, they go back into the card pile.

· NOTE: Players may repeat information already used in the game.

· This game can go on forever, just end when your time is up. Count how many sheep cards each player has at the end of the time and give a prize to the player with the most cards.

When we celebrate a birthday or some other special occasion we like to play a “Twenty Questions” game. We’ve played Twenty Questions for birthdays for more years than I can remember. My big problem with the game is making up new questions every time so I decided to be selfish and write this blog so I would have a permanent record of questions to use.

I’ve included three sets of questions to target three different age groups- the “over the hill”, “prime of life” and a version for kids. These are not icebreaker questions but questions for testing your knowledge of the person whose life you are celebrating.

You can give everyone a copy of the questions and ask them to write their answers down or read the questions aloud and everyone, including the birthday person writes their answers on a blank piece of paper. (You don’t need to get the answers to the questions in advance.)

These are not icebreaker questions- but questions to test your knowledge of a friend, family member or other loved one. Their answer IS THE CORRECT ONE!

Over the Hill

Past

What did you want to be when you were small?

What was your favorite song during your young adult years?

What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?

What’s the tallest building you’ve been to the top of?

How many the cities have you lived in?

What was your favorite family vacation?

If you could go back in time to change one thing, what would it be?

Is there anything you wished would come back into fashion?

Present

What is your favorite book to read?

In the evening, would you rather play a game, watch a movie, or read?

Who is your favorite author?

What was the last movie you went to?

How many pillows do you sleep with?

How many languages do you speak?

How many time a month do you go grocery shopping?

Future

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Would you rather vacation in Hawaii or Alaska?

What one thing could you not go a day without?

If you could share a meal with any 3 individuals, living or dead, who would they be?

Prime of Life

Past

How many houses have you lived in?

What time of day were you born- morning, noon or night?

What is the best roller-coaster you ever went on?

What was your favorite toy as kid?

What was your first job?

Present

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

What’s your favorite type of foreign food?

What spice do you use the most?

What was the last thing you recorded on TV?

Are you a clean or a messy person?

What is your favorite form of exercise?

What time do you usually wake up in the morning?

What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?

What is your favorite pizza?

What was the last sporting event you attended?

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

Future

Where do you want to retire?

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?

Cat-eye Hike for Family Reunions or Parties

One of the most requested activities at our family reunions is a Cat Eye hike. You do a Cat Eye hike in the dark so it’s a perfect activity for a “camping” family reunion. We have also done cat eye hikes in apartment complexes and residential areas. We’ve done cat eye hikes with family reunions, girls camps and for kid parties. It’s a fun activity but does take some time and thoughtful strategy to set up.

How to Organize a Cat Eye Hike

This hike is best done when it is very dark. Cut cat’s-eye shapes (squares work fine too) from reflective tape, available in the Family Reunion Helper store. Another product you might want to consider is “Trail Tacks”. They are basically just thumb tacks with a reflective paint on the top. They are visible for up to 200 yards and are great for sticking into wooden fences etc. You will probably want to use a combination of the two products- tape and tacks. Just be considerate of others when you set up the hike- you don’t want to be shinning flashlights into peoples windows or causing damage with reflective tape or tacks.

It is best to set up your hike the night before guiding groups on the hike. Put cat eyes on markers or apply cat eyes to index cards and then use the cards to mark the trail. We like to set up our hikes the night before the cat eye hike is scheduled.

How to Set Up a Cat Eye Hike

When making the trail, place the eyes in such a manner that you can see only one more set of cat’s eyes from the location of one set. Hikers will shine their flashlights on the first set of eyes and then run to the second set of eyes where they will shine their flashlights around the area until they locate the next set of eyes. They will continue searching for eyes and following their path until they arrive back at camp.

If you have a large group, instead of a mass start, send groups of ten or so at a time. You can group hikers as children, teenagers and senior citizens. Every participant will need a flashlight- you will want to remind your family members to bring a flashlight on your reunion invitation.

Get the family reunion started early!

If you’re looking for a fun ice breaker activity and a way to generate interest in your upcoming family reunion try “Reunion Buddies” and get the party started before the reunion even begins.

Reunion Buddies

About four weeks before your reunion make a double sided copy of the “Reunion Buddies” printable using the same information on each side of the paper.

Match family members up into buddies making sure everyone, young and old has a reunion buddy.

Write one buddies name on the line that says “My Name Is” and write their buddies’ name below it on the line that says “My Buddy Is”. You will need to do this on both sides of the paper but reversing the information.

Send a copy of the reunion buddies printable to one of the “buddies” with the instructions to fill out their personal information and then mail the completed form to their buddy. Be sure and provide an address and if your reunion has the funds, a stamped envelope.

The buddy they mail the form to will complete the form and return it to back to their buddy.

Encourage buddies to spend some time with each other at your family reunion perhaps even bringing inexpensive gifts (such as their favorite candy bar) to share. You may even ask some family members to share what they learned about their reunion buddy.

The idea behind “Reunion Buddies” is to make long lasting friendships between cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. Get a new buddy every year!

If you’ve hosted a party, shower or other gathering you know how difficult it can be to pull yourself away from the festivities in order to prepare the refreshments. This simple game is the perfect solution!

Just give your guests a copy of the game below and a pencil. Tell them to solve the puzzle by answering the questions correctly. As they get to work on the puzzle you sneak into the kitchen to prepare the refreshments.

The simple solution to the puzzle is, “eats are on the way”. It doesn’t take much time to solve but it does distract for a few minutes and when they read the answer to the puzzle they’ll be content to wait until you return with the “eats”.

I love “Right/Left games! It’s a great way to exchange “white elephant” gifts but… I absolutely hate the “Mrs. WRIGHT RIGHT “ games that you can find on the web (let’s get creative people!) so I wrote my own right/left game that is designed for use at a family reunion. Hope you like it.

First thing you need to do is assign each family member to bring a white elephant gift to your family reunion or party. Decide if you want them to bring their gifts wrapped or unwrapped. Most people will bring funny, used items they no longer want so I always like to include some more desirable gifts that will get everyone excited about winning. Large candy bars, money, and 2 liter bottles of soda are always a hit.

Everyone sits in a circle. As you read the story, they pass (the gifts) left when you say left, and pass them right when you say right. When the story ends, everyone opens the gift they are LEFT with. I have capitalized the words RIGHT and LEFT in the story for easy identification. Be sure and read with lots of expression and pauses- the children in your family will have fun anticipating RIGHT or LEFT.

Family Reunion Right/Left Story

Let me tell you what happened to Uncle Harv and Aunt Ethel on the way to this reunion. Harv and Ethel decided to get an early start because they didn’t want to be LEFT out of all the fun. Since both of their cars were in the shop, they borrowed their neighbor’s two ton truck. (These are the neighbors to the RIGHT of them, not the LEFT.) Harv sat in the driver’s seat and Ethel sat RIGHT next to him. The kids all climbed in and took the space that was LEFT.

It’s a long way to this reunion from Harv and Ethel’s house and I guess Harv began to get a little sleepy. The truck began to serve to the LEFT and to the RIGHT and then to the LEFT again. Before Harv knew it, the truck had LEFT the road and was going RIGHT into the burrow pit.

“You get RIGHT back on that highway!” Ethel screamed.

“I’m trying!” Harv yelled back as the truck bounced around. “I just hope I can keep this truck upRIGHT!”

Just then a house appeared RIGHT before their eyes and sure enough the truck ran RIGHT into the big, locked gate that stood RIGHT in front of it. Everyone began screaming and soon the people that lived in the house came running from all directions- from the RIGHT and from the LEFT. They were RIGHT neighborly though and invited us RIGHT into what was LEFT of their house to have breakfast with them. Although Harv and Ethel were anxious to get RIGHT back on the road, and Uncle Harv’s RIGHT knee felt a little stiff, they decided the nice thing to do was to eat breakfast with the family.

The family consisted of Ma and Pa Dowinkle and their eight kids. (Everyone in their family was LEFT handed- isn’t that odd?) Harv and Ethel LEFT their coats RIGHT by the front door. As we Harv and Ethel and their kids sat down at the huge kitchen table the Ma Dowinkle asked that they sit on their RIGHT side so that they wouldn’t bump elbows. Ethel sat RIGHT next to Ma Dowinkle and Harv sat RIGHT next to Pa Dowinkle. There was room for everyone RIGHT at the big table, in fact there was even some room LEFT- over.

Breakfast was so good that no one LEFT anything on their plate. After eating, Harv and Ethel gave all ten of the Dowinkles a big hug and LEFT.

“I’m driving the rest of the way to the reunion”, Ethel said, “Is that alRIGHT with you?” She asked the kids. The kids cheered and Ethel turned RIGHT out of the Dowinkle’s driveway and LEFT their new friends in a RIGHT big cloud of dust. She headed RIGHT for the freeway and before anyone knew it, they arrived at the family reunion RIGHT on time.

So, if you see Uncle Harv and Aunt Ethel at the reunion be sure and ask them if they are feeling alRIGHT and give Uncle Harv a pat RIGHT on the back and Aunt Ethel a kiss RIGHT on the cheek and let them know how glad we are that they could come to the family reunion.

Well, that’s the end of the story- there isn’t any more LEFT- I know I’m RIGHT because it was my job to WRITE the RIGHT/LEFT story- and WRITE it I did. Isn’t that RIGHT?!?!

No, we’re not talking about the loved ones that will be attending your family reunion- we’re talking about Pie Irons! Pie Irons are known by many different names, Pudgie Pies, Pioneer Pies, Fire Pies, Toasties and Jaffles, but each name is referring to ingredient-filled "pockets" of bread toasted over a campfire. Cooking with pie irons is a long time tradition at our family reunions.

The Basics of Cooking With Pie Irons

Camp cooking doesn’t have to be just hot dogs and roasted marshmallows. Our family reunions wouldn’t be complete without a delicious raspberry pie cooked over the campfire and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. With a pie iron, you can cook anything from a simple grilled-cheese and ham sandwich to a delicious berry pie for dessert.

In its most basic function, a pie iron is a way to cook grilled cheese sandwiches and fruit pies over an open fire. This is done by placing the food inside the pie iron and then locking the two sides closed with a metal hook. Metal rods with wood handles extend from the castings so the user can easily maneuver the pie iron over a campfire. A few minute over the heat, usually 4 to 6 minutes, and you will have perfectly toasted sandwich or pie.

Pie Irons are available in both cast iron & aluminum. Our family prefers cast iron. They come in several different shapes; round, square, oblong and double. For our family reunions, we only use square irons. Aunt Lynn doesn’t think she’s had breakfast unless she has had a piece of toast so we’ve even used our pie irons for toast.

To make the most simple of pies, just take two slices of bread (buttered on the outsides), fill with jam, cheese, meat or pie filling- you don’t need much, then place inside the pie iron and lock it closed. Hold it over your campfire for a few minutes on each side and you’ll soon be eating a grilled cheese sandwich or a scrumptious apple pie.

At our family reunions, we like to make fruit pies in the evening while we are sitting around the campfire visiting, singing or playing games. About ten years ago, at a family reunion, cousin Mindy suggested that we sprinkle our freshly baked pies with sugar and cinnamon when we dump it out of the pie iron. Yummy! Some of our favorite flavors of fruit pies are lemon and raspberry.

Pie Iron Fruit Pies

Instructions

 Step 1

Build a campfire. Pie Iron pies do best over a hot bed of coals. Try to start your campfire an hour early to let it burn down.

 Step 2

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice, butter side down, in one half of the pie iron.

 Step 3

Put a spoonful of pie filling in the center of the bread slice. Keep the filling away from the edges, as it may leak while the pie is cooking.

 Step 4

Place the second slice of bread, buttered side up, on top of the pie filling.

 Step 5

Place the second half of the pie iron on the bottom half, squeezing the bread and filling together. Latch the two halves of the iron together, to keep it from opening up while the pie is cooking.

 Step 6

Place the pie iron over the campfire, and let it cook for several minutes (4-6 minutes). Turn the pie over, and check for doneness. The pie is done when both sides are golden brown and toasted.

 Step 7

Put the pie on a plate. If you have crispy edges you may want to carefully trim them. Be careful, as the filling is HOT! Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and enjoy!

New and improved is not better than tried and true!

It seems like I spend a lot of time trying to dream up and create new family reunion games and activities to excite and entertain family members. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen back on the old “tried and true” activities and in the end they become the new favorites of our family.

For instance, this year we’ve done tug of war at several reunions and parties and our families have LOVED it! We did several categories- family vs. family, girl cousins vs. boy cousins, the original “big 6” (my husband’s brothers and sisters), great grand girls vs. boys and so on.

The most difficult part of a tug a war is finding a rope. We borrowed a rope from our neighbors who are ranchers. When looking for a tug of war rope I look for a rope that is 75- 100 long, a thick sturdy rope (1” in. 1.5 in diameter) and 100 percent cotton. This rope is available from the family reunion helper store.

The rope pictured above is soft on your hands to manila ropes. These 100% cotton ropes reduce rope burn and splinters. Professional tug of war competitions like to use manila ropes but for a family reunion I suggest cotton ropes. Ropes like this one can cost between $150.00- $200.00 but I think you’ll find it’s an activity that can be used every year and adapted to every theme.

Preparing the tug of war rope

Find the center of your rope and mark with a piece of colorful tape or a bandana. Make a center mark on the ground for your starting point. You can make your marks with logs, ropes or create obstacles such as water or a mud puddle.

Make two more marks on the ground (I suggest 13 feet) equal distance from the center line.

The teams start with the rope’s center line directly above the line marked on the ground. We like to start with the rope on the ground and have the official/judge tell the participants to “pick up the rope” before the contest begins. When the official gives the order to “pull” teams begin pulling in an attempt to pull the other team across the center line or obstacle.

Tug of War Hints

Never make a loop by wrapping the rope around the hand to get a better grip.

Don’t tie the rope around the last persons waist.

On your family reunion invitation add “gloves” on their list of things to bring.